Pet door assembly

Abstract

A pet door assembly for insertion within a hole formed in a wall having a pair of exterior frames and an inner frame. The exterior frame members mount to opposite sides of the wall and define an opening for allowing passage of a pet. The central inner frame is located between the pair of exterior frames and define an opening generally aligned with the openings in the exterior frames. Each of the exterior frames includes a rear surface having a plurality of fastener sleeves extending outwardly therefrom. At least one of the sleeves has a longitudinally extending slot formed therein. Additionally, the central frame has at least one fastener bracket formed along opposed edges of the inner frame. The bracket includes one or more fastener-receiving apertures having a key portion that is configured to seat within the slot formed within the fastener sleeve. The mating engagement of the fastener sleeve and the key prevents movement of one or both of the exterior frames relative to the inner frame.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: 
     
       1. A pet door assembly for insertion within a hole formed in a wall of an enclosure, comprising a pair of exterior frames for mounting to opposite sides of the wall and about the hole, each frame defining an opening for allowing passage of a pet, each said exterior frame including a rear surface having a plurality of fastener sleeves extending outwardly therefrom, at least one of said sleeves having a longitudinally extending slot formed therein, and   a central inner frame located between said pair of exterior frames for insertion within the hole, said inner frame defining an opening generally aligned with said openings in said exterior frames, said central frame having at least one fastener bracket formed along opposed edges of said inner frame, at least one of said brackets including a fastener-receiving aperture having a key portion formed therein, said key portion being configured to seat within said longitudinal slot formed within said fastener sleeve to prevent, when assembled, movement of said inner frame relative to one of said exterior frames.   
     
     
       2. The pet door assembly of claim 1 further including assembly means for securing said exterior frames and said central inner frame together. 
     
     
       3. The pet door assembly of claim 1 wherein said inner frame further includes mounting means formed in a top portion thereof for mounting a door flap overlying the opening in said inner frame. 
     
     
       4. The pet door assembly of claim 3 wherein said mounting means includes means defining a channel. 
     
     
       5. The pet door assembly of claim 1 wherein said fastener brackets formed along said edges of said inner frame are adapted, when disposed in a first orientation, for horizontally receiving mechanical fasteners to fasten each said exterior frame to said inner frame. 
     
     
       6. The pet door assembly of claim 1 wherein each said fastener bracket defines first and second fastener-receiving apertures having a selected length, said fastener-receiving apertures being vertically or horizontally aligned. 
     
     
       7. The pet door assembly of claim 6 wherein said key portion is formed within one of said first and second fastener-receiving apertures, said key portion including a first portion having a first height which extends at least partly along the length of said aperture, and a second portion having a second height which extends at least partly along said aperture, said first height being greater than said second height. 
     
     
       8. The pet door assembly of claim 7 wherein said first height of said first key portion extends substantially from a middle region of said fastener-receiving aperture to a first side of said inner frame. 
     
     
       9. The pet door assembly of claim 6 wherein each exterior frame has attachment means formed on a front surface at locations corresponding to said location of said fastener sleeves formed on the other of said exterior frames for attaching said exterior frame members to said inner frame. 
     
     
       10. The pet door assembly of claim 9 wherein said attachment means of one of said exterior frames is aligned with said first fastener-receiving aperture of said fastener bracket, and one of said fastener sleeves of said other exterior frame is in registration with said first aperture, and wherein said attachment means of said other exterior frame is aligned with said second fastener-receiving aperture of said fastener bracket and one of said fastener sleeves of said one exterior frame is in registration with said second aperture.   
     
     
       11. A pet door assembly for insertion within a hole formed in a wall of an enclosure, comprising a pair of exterior frames for mounting to opposite sides of the wall and about the hole, each frame defining a opening for allowing passage of a pet,   a central inner frame located between said pair of exterior frames for insertion within the hole, said inner frame defining an opening generally aligned with said openings in said exterior frames,   retention means for preventing, when assembled, movement of said inner frame relative to one of said exterior frames, said retention means including a plurality of fastener sleeves associated with a rear surface of each exterior frame and extending outwardly therefrom, at least one of said sleeves having a longitudinally extending slot form therein, and   at least one fastener bracket formed on opposed edges of said inner frame, at least one of said brackets including a fastener-receiving aperture having a key portion formed therein, said key portion being configured to seat within said slot formed within said fastener sleeve, and     assembly means for securing said exterior frames and said central inner frame together.   
     
     
       12. The pet door assembly of claim 11 wherein each said fastener bracket defines first and second fastener-receiving apertures having a selected length, said fastener-receiving apertures being vertically or horizontally aligned. 
     
     
       13. The pet door assembly of claim 12 wherein said key portion is formed within one of said first and second fasterner-receiving apertures, said key portion including a first portion having a first height which extends at least partly along the length of said aperture, and a second portion having a second height which extends at least partly along said aperture, said first height being greater than said second height. 
     
     
       14. The pet door assembly of claim 13 wherein said first height of said first key potion extends substantially from a middle region of said fastener-receiving aperture to a first side of said inner frame. 
     
     
       15. The pet door assembly of claim 12 wherein each exterior frame has attachment means formed on a front surface at locations corresponding to said location of said fastener sleeves formed on the other of said exterior frames for attaching said exterior frame members to said inner frame. 
     
     
       16. The pet door assembly of claim 15 wherein said attachment means of one of said exterior frames is aligned with said first fastener-receiving aperture of said fastener bracket, and one of said fastener sleeves of said other exterior frame is in registration with said first aperture, and wherein said attachment means of said other exterior frame is aligned with said second fastener-receiving aperture of said fastener bracket and one of said fastener sleeves of said one exterior frame is in registration with said second aperture.